The Law Offices of Ricardo A. Guarnero Announce Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Againt HBAUSA.com, an Ecommerce Company with Offices in Seattle.Business Editors/Legal Writers SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2000 HBAUSA.com, an ecommerce company premised on hiring thousands of female employees, is being sued for allegedly fostering a sexually charged and hostile work environment A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears going to work because of the offensive, intimidating, or oppressive atmosphere generated by the harasser. . According to the complaint, filed in King County Superior Court King County Superior Court, the largest trial court in Washington state, is based at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, in downtown Seattle, Washington. It also operates a juvenile facility and a Regional Justice Center in Kent, southeast of Seattle. , CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. & Chairman of HBAUSA.com, Patrick Reynolds, repeatedly asked for sexual favors from female subordinates. In particular, Reynolds allegedly repeatedly attempted to establish a quid pro quo [Latin, What for what or Something for something.] The mutual consideration that passes between two parties to a contractual agreement, thereby rendering the agreement valid and binding. sexual relationship with Linda Lirette, a female subordinate. Among the improper actions, cited by Lirette in the complaint, are Reynolds repeatedly showing up at her apartment and attempting to engage in sexual intercourse sexual intercourse or coitus or copulation Act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract (see reproductive system). with her. When rebuffed by Lirette, Reynolds is said to have retaliated by withholding her pay and expenses and ultimately firing and suing her. The complaint also states that Reynolds and the other male Board members, Ken Crotts and Joseph M. Vincent, would repeatedly use crude language in referring to the all female work force that they were establishing. The three men are also accused of having isolated Lirette in the company condominium repeatedly harassed her using crude and demeaning de·mean 1 tr.v. de·meaned, de·mean·ing, de·means To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner: demeaned themselves well in class. language. Nancy Froyd, a former employee of HBAUSA.com, was asked by the Board to speak with Lirette and try and settle the claim as she states that they conceded their behavior to her. Froyd's complaint states that she attempted to advise them to correct their behavior and as a result she and Lirette were fired. Shortly after being fired, the company brought what their attorney describes as a retaliatory lawsuit against Lirette and Froyd. Attorney, Ricardo A. Guarnero, stated, "this is the only case I have ever seen where a company retaliates and intimidates sexually harassed women by bringing a frivolous action against them. The company will have to answer not only for the sexual harassment sexual harassment, in law, verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature, aimed at a particular person or group of people, especially in the workplace or in academic or other institutional settings, that is actionable, as in tort or under equal-opportunity statutes. but also for its strike suit. The irony is that they are about to hire hundreds of women as independent contractors who would be at their mercy and without protection." HBAUSA.com is a Nevada chartered corporation that controls Co-operative Corporation in the State of Washington, The National Association of Professional Service Representatives (NAPSR NAPSR National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives ). NAPSR does business in two additional trade names, Home Buyer Advocates and PSR PSR Pulsar PSR Poster PSR Physicians for Social Responsibility PSR Psychosocial Rehabilitation PSR Pacific School of Religion PSR Policy and Survey Research PSR Project Study Report PSR Pre-Sentence Report PSR Pressure-State-Response PSR Puget Sound Region Mortgage Group, a co-op that is licensed in several states throughout the United States. Lirette and Froyd stated that "the true concern and reason that this counter-suit was filed is that these women are employees and are protected by the Federal Civil Rights Laws and Washington State laws against discrimination. The goal of HBAUSA.com, an ecommerce company, is to have 32,000 women nationwide as independent contractor loan officers. The lives of the independent contractors may be affected in the same destructive mode with no recourse available to them as independent contractors." |
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